Cleaner melt transfer of recycled aluminium alloys: simulation-guided launder baffle design for aerospace-grade structural castings

Abstract

Cleaner melt transfer is critical to the broader use of recycled aluminium alloys in high-end structural casting applications, where oxide bifilms and intermetallic inclusions, such as Fe-containing intermetallics, can significantly affect the casting's mechanical properties. In counter-gravity low- and high-pressure casting, the launder system must not only promote the sedimentation of inclusions but also deliver a stable, cleaner melt to the crucible. Prior research showed that 15° double baffles in the mid-section of the sedimentation launder at a flow rate of 100 kg·h-1 provide high efficiency. The present work investigates the influence of baffle design at the launder-crucible interface, where the melt enters the crucible before casting. Fluid dynamic simulations were carried out at a 100 kg·h-1 flow rate for three inlet configurations: (i) full baffle; (ii) lifted baffle; and (iii) split baffle. Inclusions of various densities and diameters were tracked. Results indicate that the full baffle, while beneficial as a benchmark and efficient, is impractical because it generates fresh oxide surfaces. The lifted baffle provided the most effective reduction in inclusions, like the full baffle setup, enhancing sedimentation and suppressing entrainment, while the split baffle showed intermediate behaviour. Moreover, the lifted configuration promoted centrifugal flow (at lower velocities, it still made a partial contribution) within the crucible, directing inclusions towards the crucible wall and the stagnation-velocity zone, and enabling the crucible itself to act as a final sedimentation stage before the counter-gravity pump extracts the melt. These results demonstrate that combining mid-launder optimisation with crucible inlet baffle design enables cleaner, more automated melt delivery, thereby strengthening the use of recycled aluminium alloys in structural casting applications.